Siblings commit suicide after mother's death

Unable to come to terms with their mother's death, a brother and a sister in their teens killed themselves by jumping in front of a speeding train in West Bengal, police said on Saturday.

The mutilated bodies of Smriti Kakkar, 18, and Mohit, 16, were found on Friday in Burdwan, 90 kms from Kolkata. Smriti was a first year college student and Mohit was a Class 10 student.

Police on Saturday said a suicide note found in Mohit's pocket revealed they were residents of Kalighat road in south Kolkata.

The note said they were committing suicide because they had not been able to come to terms after their mother's death. Their distraught father, Ashwini Kumar Kakkar, identified their bodies.

Ashwini, 52, a bus owner, said his wife Niru, 40, had suffered a cerebral stroke a week ago and died on Wednesday.

"Since then my children had stopped taking food, saying they wanted to be with their mother," Ashwini said.

Smriti and Mohit went missing from their home on Thursday evening, according to the family.

Relatives found another note in Mohit's room, which, apparently meant for the father, said: "Don't be angry with us. We are very sorry. But we are going to Mama's (mother) house to live with her. Eat on time. And don't feel alone because all three of us will always be with you."

The grieving father said: "They were introverts by nature and very attached to their mother."

Their uncle Ashoke said it was a mystery their bodies were found in Burdwan. "We don't have any relatives there."

"Sometime between 11.30 pm and midnight yesterday (Thursday), they called up one of Mohit's friends, Saurav, who lives in Shyambazar, and told him they were in Bandel," Ashoke said.

Saurav's mother had apparently convinced them to come to her house. Ashoke said: "Mohit called Saurav a few minutes later and said they were going to their mother."

Police said train commuters spotted the bodies near the Debipur railway station.